The Haunting Past
by TheLonelyRyuu
Summary: It's been a century since the fateful night when Eragon left everything he's ever known behind... Everything is going perfectly, but then why does Eragon feel like it's all wrong? And things aren't going so well in Alagaesia either. Characters and unknown races back from the past, to ruin the peace that has lasted 100 years. [Spoilers - After Inheritance]
1. Prologue

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters in the following story.

Please comment honestly on my story; I would like to know how to improve it.

Well, greetings over, here goes nothing!

* * *

**Haunting Past**

**Prologue:**

The elf's eyes were startlingly green, slumped over on the arm of his chair with the two sorcerers facing him.

The war had long been over, and yet here, was an elf imprisoned.

"Are you sure we should do this?" One of the magicians asked.

"What other choice do we have? Galbatorix is dead, and there are none who support our cause." the other sorcerer replied, "That cursed Dragon Rider is gone. It's the perfect opportunity!"

"But it would be the first elf ever transformed, and how powerful he will be, we have no clue! He will kill us!"

"Aye, but it is our only hope."

"..."

"Let us begin."

The magicians began to chant in the ancient language, a script that only the bravest would even touch. The elf stirred ever so slightly in his chair as the chanting increased in volume, speed, and pitch and the magicians had froth seeping out of the sides of their mouths.

Spheres of light shot into the elf and he straightened up, convulsing, as more and more orbs entered his body. When the chant was over, there was silence, so quiet that you could hear a pin drop. And then the elf rose.

He grabbed the throat of the nearest magician, crushing his windpipe immediately. The other magician screamed, and ran for the door, but the elf grabbed his face and threw him to the side. He punched a hole through the wall, ripped chunks of stone from the sides, and ran out into the night. The last thing the dying magicians saw was the elf's eyes, transformed from startlingly green, to startlingly red.


	2. Their New Life

**Author's note: Any time there is a line separating two bodies of text, that means the POV or setting changed, so be wary of that. Review please!**

The sun shone brilliantly against the ocean, and the reflected luminosity bounced everywhere around Eragon as he stared into the water.

Eragon studied his reflection in the water. His age was already past 100, yet he looked like a 20 year old man.

_Today marks a century from Alagaesia... It feels like it was just yesterday._ Eragon sighed to Saphira.

She sniffed, and laid her head down by Eragon. _Yes, but... __We have a new life, a new world, and a chance to make good the rest of our lives._

Eragon looked back at the dwellings dotting the coast of the land he had still not named with the sounds of children laughing and dragons roaring.

_Aye. But everyone is so happy, why am I not?_ Eragon shifted his weight on the grass, all of a sudden uncomfortable.

_Little one, you and I know why and have known for a long time. You must leave your past behind you, where it belongs and continue on with your life._

_How can I forget! Alagaesia is my life! I was born there, raised there; my life is defined by it... So many people I cannot afford to... not remember. _Eragon stood up abruptly, heading back to the city behind them.

_Eragon, you must, and you know it deep down. Your old life haunts you, tears you apart like wolves on meat. _Saphira said as she followed Eragon back to the city.

"Greetings, Eragon." Blodhgarm greeted Eragon like a family member.

Eragon acknowledged Blodhgarm with a nod of his head. The field in the center of the village was filled with dragons and Riders, playing and training with each other.

"Greetings, Eragon-elda." A chorus of voices rang out.

Eragon laughed, the trainees always made him laugh, reminding him of how he was when he was their age.

He hadn't been able to contact anyone in Alagaesia ever since they found this new land. Eragon figured that it was because the distance was too great for the dream stare to work, despite his power. Every time he tried, all he ever saw were shadows, and even that sapped his energy quickly.

_Arya..._

A voice interrupted his thoughts as he heard, "Eragon-elda, I would like to challenge you now." Drake, a Rider with a black dragon, was challenging him to a duel. It was a friendly duel, merely for Eragon to find any flaws he found with Drake's swordsmanship. He knew that Drake's goal was to eventually surpass him, so he always accepted Drake's duels since he encouraged the ambition.

Drake's swordsmanship was honed to an almost perfect talent of his. He could whirl through Eragon's magically constructed practice dummies, killing every single one without breaking a sweat.

_Eragon, don't finish this too quickly, or it will embarrass and anger him. _Saphira warned Eragon.

_I know. I feel that Drake... doesn't want me as his mentor. There is no hate, but there is a... a feeling emanating from him that I cannot describe._

_Just get the matter over with. _Saphira said, as she withdrew from his mind.

They both did the sword dulling magic, and then they moved to the center of the field.

Eragon and Drake stood opposite each other, with every apprentice around them in a circle. Drake struck first, lunging at Eragon's stomach. Eragon parried, then slashed twice in a row, the first at Drake's head, the second at his thigh.

Both were deflected, almost contemptuously. Drake began to go on the offensive, striking again and again, trying to give Eragon no time to attack back. Eragon blocked a cut at his ribs, then jumped and flipped over Drake, flinging his sword arm at Drake's back. Eragon grinned, fully expecting a hit.

Drake blocked the slash.

_What?! The last time I watched Drake train, he wasn't half this good. He must have been hiding it from me!_

Drake kicked at Eragon's knee, almost forcing him to his feet. But Eragon had one last trick. He slapped Drake's blade away from his body and kicked Drake under the chin.

Drake fell to the ground, even as Eragon pointed his sword at his neck.

"Looks like you're too inexperienced for this fight." Eragon was almost laughing, but then he noticed Drake's expression was one of sadness, as if he had missed a chance that he would never get again.

Eragon told the apprentices to go back to training, as he consulted with Saphira with what had occurred.

_Eragon, I warned you not to finish it so quickly! _Saphira scolded.

_Yes, but this is just a mere distraction. I need to figure out a way to resolve this problem with my past. Maybe we'll find the answer in a book._ Eragon thought as he began heading towards the library.

_Let us see what we can find. If not..._

_If not, then it will get harder and harder for me to live my current life. We need an answer now, and a good one._

* * *

The meeting with Nasuada was just over. Nasuada's patrolmen had found two gruesome bodies in the outskirts of Illirea, and no one knew what had happened.

Arya sighed. When she had examined the building, there was a large hole in one wall, and the way the two men had died, it must have taken great strength. It was obvious that the two men were magicians of some sort, but it was impossible to tell what they were doing.

_If Eragon was here, he would be able to know what they did, since he knows what every magician does with the name of all names. Maybe I shouldn't have forgotten it on purpose..._

_Yes, but he isn't here, so we cannot dwell on what could have been. _Firnen scolded.

Arya laughed a bitter laugh, then replied, _When are you any different than me?_

She reexamined the floor. The footprints were like an elf's, thin and narrow, and barely making a mark on the floor. This concept was too confusing. Either an elf was a prisoner, and he killed the two men, or the elf just... killed the two men?

It was hard for her to monitor the workings of Alagaesia since she was the only Rider left in it.

_When Eragon left, he didn't realize how hard it would be for me to take his place._

_You'll always have me to help you, Arya. _Firnen said.

Arya shivered. There was something evil about this small stone building.

_I'm too tired for this today, let's go get some rest. _Arya proposed.

_I agree. Let's go report to Nasuada and be done with it. _

She had nothing to do other than sometimes see what happened in a small skirmish, and this was just another one of those.

_We could go consult with the council. I'm sure they could figure something out._

_But to do that we would have to fly all the way back to Ellesmera. Let us stay here a few more days; this can't be that bad of a situation. _

The sun set as they winged through the skies back to Illirea.


End file.
